Format: 368 pages, Hardcover
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
She saved the prince. Now she must survive his world.
Lyria and her mother have been on the run from the human kingdom of Verdinae for as long as she can remember. She’s an elf born with magic—a double offence in a kingdom determined to eradicate both. Under her mother’s watchful protection, Lyria learns the rules that keep her alive: stay inside, stay hidden, stay safe, and above all stay calm, lest her magic flair out of control.
But when she finds a human boy being attacked by a deadly monster in the forest, Lyria risks everything by using magic to save him. She doesn’t expect his broken body to survive, and she definitely doesn’t expect him to be the crown prince.
Offered a position at the palace as the royal apothecary, Lyria seizes the chance to step into the light and prove to her mother she can control her unwieldly magic. But Verdinae is not the paradise it at first seems. The nobles are ruthless, the secrets are deadly, and Cygnus—the brooding royal healer—seems determined to expose Lyria’s every flaw. As she navigates a world of glittering gowns, deadly secrets, and stolen kisses, Lyria must keep her identity hidden. . . even from the prince who’s falling for her.
But beneath the palace lies a darkness far more dangerous than any secret. And when Lyria and Cygnus uncover a hidden world that could change everything, she must decide who to trust and how much she’s willing to risk for a love that was never meant to be.
Lyria and her mother have been on the run from the human kingdom of Verdinae for as long as she can remember. She’s an elf born with magic—a double offence in a kingdom determined to eradicate both. Under her mother’s watchful protection, Lyria learns the rules that keep her alive: stay inside, stay hidden, stay safe, and above all stay calm, lest her magic flair out of control.
But when she finds a human boy being attacked by a deadly monster in the forest, Lyria risks everything by using magic to save him. She doesn’t expect his broken body to survive, and she definitely doesn’t expect him to be the crown prince.
Offered a position at the palace as the royal apothecary, Lyria seizes the chance to step into the light and prove to her mother she can control her unwieldly magic. But Verdinae is not the paradise it at first seems. The nobles are ruthless, the secrets are deadly, and Cygnus—the brooding royal healer—seems determined to expose Lyria’s every flaw. As she navigates a world of glittering gowns, deadly secrets, and stolen kisses, Lyria must keep her identity hidden. . . even from the prince who’s falling for her.
But beneath the palace lies a darkness far more dangerous than any secret. And when Lyria and Cygnus uncover a hidden world that could change everything, she must decide who to trust and how much she’s willing to risk for a love that was never meant to be.
The Ruins Beneath Us is the first installment in author Sasha E. Sloan's The Ruins Beneath Us duology. Lyria of Ironwood is an eighteen-year-old elf born with innate magic in a human kingdom (Verdinae) that has long sought to eradicate both elves and magic users following a brutal war that displaced her people. She and her protective mother live in seclusion on the outskirts of the Ironwood forest, bound by strict rules: stay hidden, stay calm (to control her volatile magic), and avoid any risk of discovery, which would mean certain death.
Restless and yearning for more, Lyria breaks protocol when she hears a cry for help and uses her healing magic to save a boy attacked by a deadly monster (sometimes described as a daemon). Unbeknownst to her, the boy is Crown Prince Finn. Grateful and impressed, Finn recruits her as the royal apothecary/healer to assist with a mysterious plague threatening the kingdom. Thrust into the opulent but treacherous human court of Crown City, Lyria must navigate glittering gowns, political dangers, stolen kisses, and her growing feelings while concealing her elven identity and magical abilities.
At the palace, she encounters the brooding, suspicious Head Healer Cygnus, who constantly questions her skills and seems determined to uncover any flaws. As Lyria and Cygnus delve deeper into their work, they uncover sinister secrets and a dark, ruined world hidden beneath the palace itself. Trust becomes scarce, alliances shift, and Lyria faces impossible choices about who to believe—and what part she might play in a larger conflict.
Lyria is a relatable, strong-yet-vulnerable protagonist—emotional, determined, and flawed in ways that feel authentic for a sheltered teen suddenly in the spotlight. Supporting characters, including the contrasting male leads, add depth. The story mixes classic tropes (hidden identity, "she saved the prince and now lives in his dangerous world") with fresh elements like healing magic tied to emotion and control, monstrous threats in the forest, and revelations about the kingdom's bloody history with elves.
This is a true slow-burning romantasy with a love triangle that sparks genuine chemistry. Prince Finn offers charm, warmth, stolen moments, and secrets, while the jaded Cygnus brings icy suspicion, magnetic intensity, and clarity to Lyria. This book does end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for some truly stunning surprises.
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